Ever have an idea that works great in your head but by George it just doesn’t work when your hands are making it? Well I knew I wanted to make a shape picture using blue painters tape but it was ripping all my paper. I am not one to give up when I want something. The answer was foam! I love how this eventually turned out. The picture looks blurry but it’s the way the markers blended together- the edges are sharp.

Gather your materials. You will need a sheet of foam, some markers, and painters tape. I also used a scrap piece of construction paper ( it had stuff on the other side) and let the tape spill onto it. It gave a nice buffer for the markers when it came time to color.

Start by applying your tape on the foam. I did the application with my son generally pointing where he thought it should go, so he was involved but I could make sure to make shapes.

Color over it all, no need to be careful. We used lots of different colors, you do want to make sure the edges of the shapes are colored. I just kept handing my son new colors and it kept him coloring until they were all full.

Say some magic words and do jazz hands.

Peel the tape off!

Viola magic shapes appear! My so loved this and after figuring out what materials to use it was so so easy.

Book

“Mouse Shapes” by Ellen Stoll Walsh is a cute book that not only helps teach shapes it is also entertaining! The three crafty mice use the shapes to protect themselves from one hungry cat finally using them to make scary mice to frighten the cat away! Kids love to help find which shapes are used in the illustrations and older ones can even anticipate what the mice will make next!